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LeadChange Group

Paylocity vs Gusto

Paylocity5.6/10

Gusto8.1/10

Scored in Payroll Software

The short answer

Paylocity is a payroll, HR, time, benefits and finance suite for small businesses to enterprises, sold by quote with nonrefundable implementation fees. Gusto is payroll, benefits and HR for small businesses, from $49 a month plus $6 per person, month to month and with no setup fee.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Based on 26 sources, most recently checked

Paylocity

Best for
US employers wanting payroll, HR, time, benefits and finance from one vendor

Choose Paylocity if

  • You have an HR team and want payroll, time, talent and benefits in one suite.
  • You want 30+ payroll audits with automatic alerts.
  • You pay employees in other countries (100+).
  • Your security review asks for SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001.

Paylocity plans and pricesAlternatives to Paylocity

Gusto

Starting price
$49/mo + $6/employee/mo1
Best for
US small businesses that want payroll tax filing on every plan

Choose Gusto if

  • You want the price up front: $49 a month plus $6 per person.
  • You want no setup fee and no contract.
  • You want health, 401(k) and HSA benefits in the payroll account.
  • You run extra payrolls: unlimited runs on every plan.

Gusto plans and pricesGusto competitors

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

Paylocity wins 2Gusto wins 12 ties

Paylocity vs Gusto by dimension
DimensionPaylocityGusto
PricingGusto lists Simple at $49 a month plus $6 per person, with no setup fee. Paylocity quotes a base fee plus per-employee fees and charges implementation fees, W-2 preparation and time clocks separately. None1Quote only$49/mo + $6/employee/mo
CapabilitiesBoth run payroll with tax filing and cover HR, time and benefits. Paylocity adds talent management, global payroll, expense management and corporate cards; Gusto adds contractor payments and money management in the same plans. Payroll, Global Payroll, Human Resources, Time & Labor, Talent Management, Benefits, Employee Experience, Expense Management, Corporate Cards, AP Automation, Guided Procurement, Headcount Planning, Asset Management, Access Management & Identity211 of 12 core capabilities11 of 12 core capabilities
IntegrationsPaylocity lists 435 integrations, with an OAuth2 API and webhooks. Gusto lists 154, with a REST API and webhooks. 435 marketplace listings (our count, Oct 9, 2026)39 documented8 documented (vendor says 154)
Fit and supportPaylocity serves small businesses to enterprises, with support Monday to Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Central Time. Gusto serves small businesses, with support Monday to Friday, 6am to 6pm MST. Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises2Small businesses, mid-market companies, enterprisesSmall businesses
SecurityPaylocity states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. Gusto states HIPAA compliance. Yes4SOC 2, ISO 27001SOC 2 (type not stated)

Paylocity or Gusto: what matters most to you?

We match on verified product facts for this need, never on who pays us.

Key differences

Where Paylocity and Gusto differ (9)
AttributePaylocityGusto
Price transparencyQuote only5Published1
Contract termCustom6Monthly1
Best forSmall businesses, mid-market companies, enterprises2Small businesses7
Mobile appsiOS, Android, Apple Watch8iOS (Gusto Mobile), Android (Gusto Mobile)9
Native integrations435 marketplace listings (our count, Oct 9, 2026)315410
Support channelsPhone, Email, PEAK Knowledge Base (in-product)11Phone, email, chat, online help center, dedicated account partner (Premium)12
Founded19971320127
HeadquartersSchaumburg, Illinois, US6San Francisco, California, US14
OwnershipPublicly traded6Private7
Show 6 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (6)
AttributePaylocityGusto
Pricing modelBase fee + per employee6Base fee + per employee1
DeploymentCloud6Cloud15
API1617
Webhooks1819
Single sign-onSAML (SP- and IdP-initiated)2021
Automatic tax filing221

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. Gusto lists Simple at $49 a month plus $6 per person, with no setup fee. Paylocity quotes a base fee plus per-employee fees and charges implementation fees, W-2 preparation and time clocks separately.

Capabilities. Both run payroll with tax filing and cover HR, time and benefits. Paylocity adds talent management, global payroll, expense management and corporate cards; Gusto adds contractor payments and money management in the same plans.

Integrations. Paylocity lists 435 integrations, with an OAuth2 API and webhooks. Gusto lists 154, with a REST API and webhooks.

Fit and support. Paylocity serves small businesses to enterprises, with support Monday to Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Central Time. Gusto serves small businesses, with support Monday to Friday, 6am to 6pm MST.

Security. Paylocity states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. Gusto states HIPAA compliance.

Neither one?

Patriot Payroll

Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (8.7/10).

From $37/mo + $5/employee/mo (Full Service Payroll plan)23

Patriot Payroll review

Frequently asked questions

What are the downsides of Paylocity compared with Gusto?

Paylocity is less suited to buyers who want a price before a demo: it publishes no prices or plans, and its implementation fees are nonrefundable. W-2 preparation, time clocks and each extra module add to the recurring fee. Gusto lists its three plans and charges no setup fee.

How much does Paylocity cost per month compared with Gusto?

Paylocity does not publish a monthly price: per its 10-K, it charges a base fee plus per-employee fees that depend on headcount and the products used. Gusto publishes three plans: $49 plus $6, $80 plus $12 and $180 plus $22 per person a month.

Is Paylocity better than Gusto for a growing company?

Paylocity serves companies from small businesses to enterprises and adds talent management, global payroll and finance tools as needs grow. Gusto is built for small businesses; its Premium plan adds HR guidance, compliance tools and premium account support.

Can employees get paid early with Paylocity or Gusto?

Paylocity’s On Demand Payment lets employees draw earned wages, with same-day funds for requests made by 2 PM CT. Gusto includes next-day pay on Plus and Premium, and same-day and instant pay on Premium.

How do Paylocity and Gusto check payroll before it runs?

Paylocity explains payroll variances in plain language before you submit, and its Ignite AI agents cover pay, time and recruiting. Gusto runs Payroll on AutoPilot and syncs time tracking to payroll.

Do Paylocity and Gusto have mobile apps?

Paylocity has iOS, Android and Apple Watch apps, with location-based clock-in. Gusto Mobile runs on iOS and Android.

Which has more integrations, Paylocity or Gusto?

Paylocity’s integration marketplace shows 435 listings (we counted them on Oct 9, 2026); Gusto lists 154 integrations. Both connect to Slack and Salesforce.

Is Paylocity or Gusto more secure?

Paylocity states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 (unverified for Gusto). Gusto states HIPAA (unverified for Paylocity).

How this page was made

  • What it is built from

    42 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 12, 2026.

  • Method

    Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology

  • Independent review

    Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. How we review

  • Hands-on testing

    We have not tested either product hands-on: this page uses public information only.

  • Who made it

    The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us

  • Independence and errors

    Who pays us never changes a score or a rank. If something here is wrong, tell us and we correct it publicly. Request a correction

Paylocity or Gusto? Your answer in 3 questions

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Paylocity vs Gusto

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Sources

The 26 pages this page's facts come from. The date beside each is our last check of the facts taken from it (the oldest, when they differ). The numbers beside the figures above link here.

Quotes from the sources
  1. Gusto gusto.com/product/pricing“Simple Run basic payroll in one state. $49/mo + $6/mo per person” “No contracts. Free account setup. Switch or cancel anytime.”
  2. Paylocity paylocity.com“Payroll Global Payroll Human Resources Time & Labor Talent Benefits Employee Experience Talent Management” “Small Business 1-99 employees Learn more Midsize Business 100-499 employees Learn more Enterprise 500+ employees”
  3. Paylocity paylocity.com/products/capabilities/integrations“Yes, Paylocity offers hundreds of integrations across HR, payroll, benefits, accounting, time tracking, and other systems.”
  4. Paylocity paylocity.com/company/protecting-our-clients“We engage reputable audit firms who perform annual independent attestations for SOC 1 and SOC 2 Type II, which cover controls related to financial reporting, security, confidentiality, and availability.” “We are ISO 27001:2022 certified.”
  5. Paylocity paylocity.com/pricing“Want to Learn More About Paylocity's Pricing? Contact us and explore our flexible pricing plans that fit your needs. Request Pricing”
  6. U.S. SEC (Paylocity Form 10-K) Paylocity annual report, fiscal 2026 (SEC filing)“majority of our agreements ... are generally cancellable by the client on 60 days’ notice or less ... term agreements, which are generally two years in length.” “As of June 30, 2026, our corporate headquarters occupied approximately 272,000 square feet in Schaumburg, Illinois under leases with final expiration in October 2032.”
  7. Gusto gusto.com/about“Our small business platform helps businesses take care of their hardworking teams.” “Launched in 2012 as ZenPayroll, Gusto serves more than 500,000 businesses nationwide.”
  8. Paylocity paylocity.com/products/capabilities/mobile“the Paylocity Mobile App connects you to our solutions wherever your job takes you … Conveniently clock in and out with a tap on your Apple Watch and access your most-used features, like timesheets, and schedules from anywhere.”
  9. Gusto Payroll (Gusto)“Yes, you can run payroll, check payroll status, add and view team members and manage your team all from the Gusto mobile app. Download the iOS app here and the Google Play app here.”
  10. Gusto gusto.com/product/integrations“Showing 1–20 of 154”
  11. Paylocity paylocity.com/contact/client-support/administrator-support
  12. Gusto gusto.com/about/contact“Our sales and support teams at Gusto are available to help you via phone, email, and chat Monday through Friday 6am – 6pm MST. For expedited support, sign in to your Gusto account.”
  13. Paylocity paylocity.com/company/about-us“Since 1997, we’ve been partnering with organizations to create workplaces where employees thrive, and businesses excel.”
  14. Gusto gusto.com/about/privacy“Gusto, Inc. Attn: Legal Privacy 525 20th Street San Francisco, CA 94107”
  15. Gusto gusto.com/security“Gusto uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host its production servers, databases, and supporting services.” “We follow HIPAA guidelines to safeguard our customers’ protected health information (PHI). Additionally, we maintain business associate agreements (BAAs) between employers and Gusto, along with any third parties, like insurance companies.”
  16. Paylocity developer.paylocity.com/integrations/docs/getting-started“Paylocity offers access to APIs that allow customers and partners to access desired data quickly and securely for building integrations.”
  17. Gusto docs.gusto.com“Leverage Gusto's API to build your own in-app payroll solution, customized for your users' needs, with Gusto Embedded.”
  18. Paylocity developer.paylocity.com/integrations/docs/impl-best-practices“Utilize Employee APIs and Webhooks to Maintain Synced Database to maintain a near real-time synced employee database.”
  19. Gusto docs.gusto.com/embedded-payroll/docs/webhooks“A webhook is an HTTP request that delivers information about an event as it happens.”
  20. Microsoft learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/saas-apps/paylocity-tutorial“Paylocity supports SP and IDP initiated SSO”
  21. Gusto gusto.com/product/payroll/security“Multi-factor authentication and single sign-on functions are also available to make sure only the right people see the most sensitive data.”
  22. Paylocity paylocity.com/who-we-serve/multi-state-payroll“Automated federal, state, and local tax filings, ensuring accuracy and reducing administrative burden.”
  23. Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/pricing“Basic Payroll is $17/month + $4 per worker paid; Full Service Payroll is $37/month + $5 per worker paid.”
  24. Paylocity paylocity.com/products/capabilities/integrations/marketplace/slack
  25. Gusto gusto.com/product
  26. Paylocity paylocity.com/products/capabilities/integrations/marketplace/salesforce

What the LeadChange Score means

A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.

Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.